Thirteen new Covid- 19 cases have been detected across north Bengal in the past 24 hours. Siliguri was on the edge today after two cases were found in two Wards, while Malda reported eight more cases in migrant workers, and North Dinajpur reported two cases in Karandighi.

On the other hand, throat swab samples of a driver who drove a ‘vaccine van’ from Kolkata to Alipurduar some time ago was also tested positive for Covid 19. Sources in Siliguri said a 47- year-old resident of Babu Para in Ward 27, an insurance agent, had returned from Kolkata on 11 May and was advised to remain under home quarantine.

They also said that a 40-year-old fruit seller of Dangipara in Ward 6 was also found positive. It was, however, not clear if he had some travel history. The swab samples were tested at the Viral Research and Diagnostics Laboratory at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital. Darjeeling district chief medical officer of health Dr Pralay Acharya confirmed the two cases.

“According to the test reports, two persons have been tested positive for Covid-19. We are in the process of identifying those who came in contact with them,” he said. Areas falling within a threekm radius of the houses of the duo will be declared ‘containment zones,’ while the wards have been sealed.

In Malda, the eight new cases took the case tally to 34 in the district last night, even as 477 workers reached Malda Town Station from Hyderabad this morning. Residents went into a panic mode after it was alleged that the workers were sent home without their throat swabs collected for tests and without proper screening.

On the other hand, Malda administration sources said around 3000 samples are awaiting tests, and this has temporarily halted collection of more samples. “So far, tests have been arranged for labourers coming in from Delhi, Gujarat and Maharashtra. People who came today have been home quarantined after they were screened and handed over food and water,” Malda DM, Rajarshi Mitra, said.

Sources said five of the eight fresh patients were from Manikchak and one each from Harishchandrapur, Kaliachak- II and Chanchal-II, and that all the samples were collected from the Gourkanya bus terminus a few days ago. All the positive patients have been admitted in the Covid Hospital at Narayanpur under the Malda police station, while four more auxiliary hospitals are being readied to accommodate asymptomatic corona-affected persons.

A Shramik special train arrived in Malda this morning with 1492 workers from Hyderabad, of whom 477 were from Malda, 85 from Nadia, 248 from Murshidabad, 79 from North Dinajpur and 12 from South Dinajpur. “These workers were sent to their respective districts from the railway station in 33 buses,” sources said, adding, “A total of 271 more were sent to the NJP station from where they will go to their villages.”

In North Dinajpur, the two fresh cases were detected among migrant workers in Kamartore and Khetria villages in Karandighi. They had recently returned home from Maharastra and had been under home quarantine. The district has so far seen 10 Covid-positive cases. However, district health officials did not want to say anything on the fresh cases.

On the other hand, a train carrying migrant workers is set to reach Raiganj station from Kanpur early tomorrow. “A total of 226 workers will get down from the train at the Raiganj station, and they will be screened and advised either institutional or home quarantine,” sources said. In Alipurduar, the driver from Kolkata had reached Alipurduar on 10 May, and left the next day after delivering the medical supplies.

“The driver’s swab samples had been tested and the reports came today. All the concerned have been informed accordingly,” said the Alipurduar Chief Medical Officer of Health, Dr Puran Sharma. It is learnt that the vehicle had been disinfected as soon as it arrived in the district, while the driver who asked to remain in isolation in a hotel.

Primary contacts, including some health technicians, have been quarantined and swabs taken for tests, it is learnt. Notably, one of the four persons, who had tested Covid-19 positive in Alipurduar district, was released the previous week after he recovered, sources said.